We thank the Almighty everyday, For all the blessings that come our way. For the sun that keeps us tan and warm, For His angels who shield us from harm. For Earth, our home in the Universe, Which to us all like a mother cares; With her valleys, streams, mountains and seas, With her fowls […]
The maiden issue of Epistoliorum is finally served. Like most ambrosial meals, it is only fitting to serve desserts after they are consumed, and it holds true for our first offering of Epistoliorum. Experience always yields results and in the case of our readers who patiently, and hopefully leisurely, consume contents of this publication we would […]
Attending night prayers at the seminary almost always meant hearing that ancient but rather beautiful melody of “Day is done“. Many years later even as we close this maiden issue, I hear similar thought-provoking lyrics, albeit, this time on a more worldly tune. Most would tag Barry Manilow ancient though, considering he started way back […]
17 November 2017 From the Desk of Joan Dinopol President, North America Chapter Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis, Inc. Fratres Carissimi, On behalf of the North America Filii Chapter, I congratulate the editorial staff and advisory body of Epistoliorum for launching the maiden issue of our newsletter. Epistoliorum was initiated to provide an avenue […]
17 November 2017 From the Desk of Eugenio Michael Plana Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis, Inc. Quezon City, Philippines Greetings of Brotherhood and Fraternal love to all my fellow brothers of Filii Sancti Dominici! Many years have passed but the call still rings in our ears. We can still remember when we heard […]
17 November 2017 From the Desk of Anju Castigador Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis, Inc. Quezon City, Philippines Epistoliorum has finally seen the light of day! Adding almost two years to our decade of existence, our organization has brought to fruition the hope of most of its members: to have a forum where […]
…when the good things in life aren’t really free. There is an ongoing misconception that the internet is a relatively safe place, and that our online presence is meant to mask our identity or offer a different persona than who we are. With internet fast allowing for seamless inter-connectivity among governments, businesses and individuals, there […]
INTRODUCTION “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some have wandered away from the faith and have impaled themselves with a lot of pain because they made money their goal.” –1 Timothy 6:10 After reading the quote above, you won’t probably continue reading this article…But wait a minute, the quote […]
Newborn: Between 1 day and 4 weeks … Infant: Between 1 month and 12 months … Toddler: Between 1 and 2 years… Pre-school: Between 2 and 4 years… Baby: Between 5 and 9 years (when they’re at their cutest and loveliest)… Pre-adolescent: Between 10 and 12 years… Adolescent: Between 13 and 17 years… Youth: […]
The month of September heralds the advent of autumn in Canada and for Canadians it means anticipating the onset of leaf fall. As temperature begins to drop gradually to a comfortable level and the end of everything estival and serotinal becomes impending, somewhere in Philippines, California, Texas, Florida, New Jersey and even in the most […]
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” –Luke 11:28 | NIV Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. –James 1:22 | NIV Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. –Psalm 119:105 | NIV We need […]
Manila, Philippines, October 11, 2017. FSDPI (Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis Inc.) in May 2017, launched its first pilgrimage project to the Basilica of Our Lady of Manaoag where the image of Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of the Most Holy Rosary is enshrined. The project is managed by the FSDPI committee on Apostolate with the full […]
I remembered a couple autumns ago when I was still living in Virginia, I received rather unexpectedly, one very good and priceless advice from a person I didn’t even know. I haven’t considered it a lesson learned though, for it only enhanced my own opinion of the matter, something which I have always believed. I […]
Preaching the Good news has been and still is the reason for being of the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans. Since its founding by Santo Domingo de Guzman in the early 13th century, it did this mission mainly on the pulpit. That mode of preaching by the Dominicans in the Philippines had […]
I thought he looked like Santa Claus, with his pot belly and rosy cheeks. He always mumbled so I couldn’t understand him. Not many people liked him or agreed with him. Perhaps because whenever he was asked a question, he always had a negative response. He used to call me the “ambassador from Timbuktu.” It […]
Dear Rene, We surely miss you this summer. We miss the lovely concertos that you alone among us could play on the piano. Here at BALULAN we have instead the murmur of the surf, the off-key tune of the birds, the rhapsody of coconut leaves… Your absence, Rene, spells for us a world of awakenings. […]
Quezon City, Philippines, October 4, 2017. Fray Mike Plana, one of the founders and a most sought-after advisor of FSDPI (Filii Sancti Dominici Philippinensis Inc.) hosted a dinner party to honor one of Filii’s own sons, the newly ordained priest, Rev. Fr. Jestoni Porras. Fr. Jestoni was ordained priest on October 18, 2017, by His […]
“Ex abundantia cordis emanent EPISTOLIORUM.” From the abundance of the heart emanate the “Letters of the Sons” of St. Dominic. From the bottom of our hearts, we the Filii of Iloilo welcome the maiden bow of EPISTOLIORUM. We congratulate the Editorial Staff for hatching one brilliant idea, matching it with a fitting title via a […]
Let me tell you ’bout my favorite dish, Oh yes, it’s just a catfish. But my Dad cooked it in a special way, I can still taste it to this day. My Dad was short but very funny; He always called my Mom, “Honey.” He always said Mom’s smitten by his charm. She left all […]
Never in my childhood dreams or wishes that I have thought of going places especially to other parts of the globe than simply find a good job in the Philippines. The only thing I knew when I decided to leave the Dominican Order was a solid plan to go back to school and take up […]
Afternoon overcast sky and isolated showers did not deter the Fuliga family. They’ve been doing this since Juanito, the head of the family, was aged two. Back then Juanito was still too wobbly to walk, getting by narrow pathways in between congested tombs. Accompanied by his parents, he was led to a concrete enclosure repainted […]
“Inay, tapos na po ba?” (“Mom, is it done?”) anxiously asked a seven-year old Mikay, her voice overwhelmed by the whirring of a sewing machine. “Mag-antay ka naman. Ang kulet kulet mo!” (“Can’t you wait? You’re so annoying!”) shot back her mom, Nisa, irritated from the urging of her daughter. “Excited na po kasi ako, […]
In 2012, I drove my tiny Tiburon from Florida to Galveston, Texas, stayed there for a week by myself and drove back to Florida. Why I did that was a long story. It was possibly the longest time I’ve spent all alone here in America or elsewhere. I’ve spent over 36 hours on the road […]
In Canada, Halloween is observed every year on the night of October 31st. The fete was brought to Canada sometime in 1800s by Irish and Scottish immigrants. It was thought to have originated mainly as a Celtic celebration marking the division of the light and dark halves of the year when the boundary between the living and the […]
